Verbena plant named ‘VEAZ0018’

ABSTRACT

A new  Verbena  plant named ‘VEAZ0018’ particularly distinguished by the large, light purple and white, bi-colored inflorescences, dark green foliage, only moderately incised leaves, and an outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Verbenahybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘VEAZ0018’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Verbena, botanically known asVerbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name‘VEAZ0018’.

‘VEAZ0018’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivarhas large, light purple and white, bi-colored inflorescences, dark greenfoliage, only moderately incised leaves, and an outwardly spreading andtrailing plant habit.

‘VEAZ0018’ originated from a hybridization made in July 2010 in agreenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was anunpatented proprietary plant designated ‘M0128-1’, having purple-violetand white flower color and a compact trailing plant habit.

The male parent of ‘VEAZ0018’ was an unpatented proprietary plantdesignated ‘2153-2’, having purple-violet flower color and an upright,freely branching plant habit

The resulting seed was sown in February 2011 in a greenhouse inEnkhuizen, The Netherlands. ‘VEAZ0018’ was selected as one floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2011.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘VEAZ0018’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection inJune 2011 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in the autumn of 2011, and continuing thereafter, hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor ‘VEAZ0018’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

‘VEAZ0018’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in theCommunity Plant Variety Office on May 3, 2013, No. 2013/1231. ‘VEAZ0018’has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to thefiling of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Verbena as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘VEAZ0018’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing in FIG. 1 shows flowering plants of the newvariety in baskets, holding 3 plants each; and in FIG. 2 a close-up ofthe inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, TheNetherlands on Apr. 8, 2014 in a greenhouse in Andijk, The Netherlands.The plants used were about 10 weeks of age and growing in 35 cm diameterhanging baskets placed on benches.

The aforementioned photographs were taken in April 2014 in Andijk, TheNetherlands. The same greenhouse plants were used, as described above.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘VEAZ0018’ AND A MOSTSIMILAR VARIETY ‘VEAZ0012’ (U.S. Plant ‘VEAZ0018’ Pat. No. 23,659)Inflorescence, shape: Larger, and almost flat Smaller, more moundedFlower color: Light purple and white Purple-violet, pale purple andwhite Leaf, size: Larger Smaller

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Herbaceous, initially semi-upright,            then outwardly spreading and trailing, vigorous and            free-branching.        -   Plant height.—11.0 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—15.0 cm.        -   Plant width.—49.0 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—11-14 days at            about 22 degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 139A.        -   Immature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137D.        -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.        -   Mature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137D.        -   Length.—Approximately 5.0 cm.        -   Width.—3.6-4.0 cm.        -   Shape.—Hastate.        -   Base shape.—Rounded or obtuse.        -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Dentate, with moderately deep incisions.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.        -   Lower surface.—Pubescent.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 145A.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 145A.        -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 145A.        -   Petiole length.—0.5 cm.        -   Petiole width.—0.3 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute.-   Stem:    -   -   Branching characteristics.—Side branches develop potentially            at each node.        -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—4-6.        -   Color of stem.—RHS 143A.        -   Stem length.—About 17.0-21.0 cm.        -   Stem width.—About 0.25 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—About 2-3 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute.        -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 138A.        -   Length of peduncle.—From 2.0-5.0 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Canescent, also short, transparent glandular hairs.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Umbel-like, but actually a spike, umbrella-shaped.        -   Blooming habit.—Flowers continuously during the summer            months.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 4-5            days in the greenhouse.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—46 at various stages at            development.        -   Horizontal diameter of inflorescence.—5.8-6.2 cm.        -   Depth of inflorescence.—3.5 cm.        -   Number of florets and buds per inflorescence.—Approximately            39-42.-   Bud (just when opening/showing color):    -   -   Color.—RHS N155A with blushes of RHS 75D.        -   Length.—0.4 cm (future corolla only).        -   Width.—0.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Tubular with bulbous apex.-   Floret:    -   -   Form.—Sessile; salver-shaped, composed of 5 partly fused            petals with a base of a narrow tube.        -   Immature color, 2 top petals, upper surface.—RHS N74C with            shades of N74A.        -   Immature color, 2 top petals, lower surface.—RHS 73C.        -   Immature color, 3 lower petals, upper surface.—RHS150C            mainly, and possibly RHS 73B near the edges.        -   Immature color, 3 lower petals, lower surface.—RHS N155A.        -   Mature color, 2 top petals, upper surface.—RHS N74C with            shades of N74B.        -   Mature color, 2 top petals, lower surface.—RHS 73C.        -   Mature color, 3 lower petals, upper surface.—RHS 155A            mainly, and possibly RHS 73B near the edges.        -   Mature color, 3 lower petals, lower surface.—RHS N155A.        -   Floret diameter.—2.2 cm.        -   Floret length (depth).—2.4 cm.        -   Petal length.—1.0 cm.        -   Petal width.—1.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Ob-cordate.        -   Apex shape.—Emarginate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Papillose; a little glandular            hair.        -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Papillose, pubescent.        -   Corolla tube length.—2.1 cm.        -   Corolla tube width.—0.2 cm.        -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 150D.        -   Tube color outside.—RHS 150C to RHS 145D at upper end.        -   Corolla texture, inside.—Pubescent, longer and shorter            hairs.        -   Corolla texture, outside.—Canescent, lower part glabrous.        -   Throat hair color.—RHS 155D but whiter.-   Calyx:    -   -   Type.—Five sepals whose margins are fused to each other            along their length, with a transparent membrane of less than            0.1 cm in width and with one smaller sepal attached to the            base of the calyx.        -   Color of sepals.—RHS 143A.        -   Length of sepals.—1.2 cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.2 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Fused, linear.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Densely covered with short hair, and with very            short glandular hair.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil: 1. Pistil length: 1.8 cm. Style color:            RHS-N144D. Style length: 1.6 cm. Stigma color:. RHS 144A.            Ovary color:. RHS 144B. Ovary length: 0.2 cm. Ovary width:            0.1. cm.        -   Androecium.—Stamens: Anthers and filaments fused to upper            half of corolla tube; four anthers with two pollen sacs per            anther. Color of filaments: RHS 151D. Filament length:            0.2 cm. Anther color: RHS 151C. Anther length: 0.15 cm.            Pollen amount: None observed.-   Fertility/seed set: Has not been determined to date.-   Disease/pest resistance: Has not been determined to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant named‘VEAZ0018’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.